Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Colorado ranks third in high-tech

State moves ahead of California with high-quality jobs

By Roger Fillion, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 19, 2008 at 10:06 a.m.

Text size  

Related Links

More Tech & Telecom

More stories »

Colorado kept its No. 3 ranking in a national survey of how well states are nurturing a high-tech economy inside their borders.

"The state is creating high-quality jobs. And it's well-positioned to create high-quality, high-paying jobs in the future," said Ross DeVol, director of regional economics at the Milken Institute, the economic think tank that issued the report.

The state benefited, in particular, from its high concentration of scientists and engineers as well as its educated work force.

The study, which updates a 2004 report, again lists Massachusetts as the top state for spurring development of a "knowledge-based" economy.

In the top five, Maryland placed second. Colorado was followed by California and Washington.

"The really good news - if I were Colorado - is you've moved ahead of California," DeVol said.

California slipped from No. 2, displaced by Maryland, which jumped from No. 4. The first study was issued in 2002, when Colorado ranked second, behind Massachusetts.

The Milken Institute's State Technology and Science Index ranks states' abilities to "foster and sustain a high-tech industry."

The index crunches 77 indicators of technology strength. The indicators fall into five major categories: research and development, entrepreneurial activity, education, concentration of scientists and engineers, and the prominence of the tech sector in the business community.

DeVol said Colorado stands in a relatively unique position because it placed among the top five states in all five categories.

"Across a very broad spectrum, Colorado does very well," DeVol said.

He cited Colorado's having the second-highest number of adults with bachelor's degrees, behind Massachusetts.

In the Milken study, Colorado ranked second in the broad category involving the concentration of scientists and engineers. It was third in investment in "human capital."

The study noted state efforts to help Colorado's high-tech industry. It singled out Gov. Bill Ritter's recent $3.5 million program to dole out state grants to energy businesses. Ritter is touting renewable energy.

"The state also continues to refine job-creation initiatives that give businesses incentives to create high-paying positions," the study said.

But not everyone is convinced the state is doing enough to spur the local high-tech industry.

"It's amazing. Colorado has such an amazingly entrepreneurial spirit, but there's a lack of direct funding from within the state," said eBags.com CEO Jon Nordmark, referring both to direct state funding and private funding sources.

He noted the governor's strategic focus on four industry clusters, in particular: bioscience, energy, tourism and aerospace.

Nordmark contended Ritter's administration had "selectively chosen" a few industries to zero in on, adding that "they completely ignored" software and Internet companies.

Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer didn't dispute the governor's focus on those areas. He said high-tech "is an undergirder - or overarching umbrella - for all four of those sectors."

fillionr@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2467

Comments

  • June 20, 2008

    10:42 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Bagel writes:

    I'm pretty sure there are no illegal aliens vying for my aerospace engineering job.

    And people who are 'wackos' for the environment seem like a good thing to me.

  • June 20, 2008

    11:40 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Bob299 writes:

    In regard to "illegal aliens," those in Colorado who should be worried are the high school dropouts without any skills that are competing with them in the labor market.

  • June 20, 2008

    6:01 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Raemid writes:

    I'm surprised that Mass is consistently ranked #1. When I think "high-tech", I think of electronics design and development and internet. I'd expect CA, TX, CO, and maybe GA all at the top of the list.

    Guess there's a lot I don't know...